The Substitute Disciple
“Waaah...! Boksoon! Boksoooon! How could you do this to me! After all the time we spent together!”
Edelrin was now rolling around on the ground, sobbing her heart out. Weren't elves supposed to exude a mysterious, noble aura? Meanwhile, the culprit Boksoon remained firmly perched on my shoulder, not even glancing her way.
Staring at the spirit clutching my clothes like it would never let go, I felt utterly wronged, to the point of madness. Anyone seeing this would think I was the shameless thief who'd kidnapped someone else's precious spirit.
“Um, Luna... This situation feels kinda off, doesn't it? Any idea why the spirit's acting like this?”
I turned to Luna with a voice half-filled with injustice, half with bewilderment. She was watching the whole scene with sparkling eyes, clearly having the time of her life. If this world had popcorn, she'd probably be munching away with satisfying crunches right now.
“Hmm~ The most obvious reason has gotta be Lia's music, right~?”
“Music?”
“Yeah. We came here in the first place because we heard that spirit mimicking Lia's tune. From its perspective, Lia's melody must've really struck a chord.”
Luna's explanation made perfect sense. Come to think of it, we'd tracked it down precisely because the spirit was imitating my music. As a musician, it was thrilling that my composition had captivated a spirit—but not if it meant stealing someone else's.
“Or maybe~ its owner treats the spirit too stingily on the daily?”
At Luna's teasing guess, Edelrin shot to her feet and shouted.
“N-No way! I cherish and love Boksoon more than anything!”
“Just kidding, kidding. Actually, even among elves, there are folks who just can't communicate with spirits. It's like a chronic condition or something. The real surprise is that she even had a spirit following her in the first place~.”
“'Sometimes'—does that mean it happens pretty often?”
Luna counted on her fingers for a moment before answering brightly.
“Eh, maybe a few per few hundred years? Back when I was actively traveling the continent, I only met a handful~.”
That's not 'sometimes'! That's rare disease territory!
I screamed internally but couldn't voice it. As I racked my brain for a solution, Edelrin wiped her tears and fixed her reddened eyes on me.
“By the way... music? What have you all been talking about? What did Boksoon mimic?”
“...Huh? Your spirit was just singing my song a minute ago. You didn't hear it?”
At my question, Edelrin blinked blankly.
“What sound? Boksoon's just been floating there quietly, stirring up some wind...”
I was speechless. Luna's earlier words came back: spirits only let their sounds be heard by those they like or want to talk to. Her own spirit's voice, and she couldn't hear it? At this point, I was doubting if she was really the owner—but Boksoon's trembling against my back confirmed it, making the absurdity even worse.
“A spirit mimicking music... This is a seriously rare case~.”
Luna murmured with fascination, and Edelrin wiped her tears, puffing out her lips in feigned haughtiness.
“I could see an elf's music, but no way a spirit would copy that noisy, crude human stuff...! Boksoon's got refined tastes!”
Crude...? Noisy? That really got under my skin.
“Oh, really? Then how amazing is elf music that you're so confident?”
“Hehe, curious, are we? If you insist, I can demonstrate personally.”
Edelrin stood with unfounded bravado and began preparing. I secretly hoped, Well, she's an elf—maybe something nature-attuned? A mystical melody?
Moments later, she conjured a small puddle on the ground with simple nature magic. Then, with a grave expression, she positioned herself in front of it...
Splash! Thwack! Splosh!
And started slapping the water wildly, yelling.
“Aaaah! Waaah—!!”
“...”
I quietly pressed a hand to my forehead. Of course. What did I expect from this world's music?
Water droplets soaked her clothes, but she wore an expression burning with artistic passion. Finally, panting, she finished her “performance,” thrust out her chest proudly, and asked.
“How was it? That's elf music, capturing the dynamism of nature. Worlds apart from human noise, right?”
It was worlds apart, alright. In a different sense. With a soulless gaze, I replied dryly.
“Ah... Yeah. Truly original. The difference in level hits right in the bones.”
“Hehe, getting it now, are you?”
Sighing at Edelrin lost in her delusion, I realized I couldn't let this stand. If I did, my music would forever be tainted as inferior to water-splashing. No way.
“Well then, care to hear some low-level human music?”
“Hmph, not interested, but... I should check what enchanted Boksoon.”
Ignoring her feigned disinterest and sparkling eyes, I carefully set down my guitar case. As I opened it and revealed the smooth wooden body, Edelrin's gaze locked onto the strange object.
I worried briefly if the elf would rage, “How dare you carve sacred wood into this!” But surprisingly, she eyed its sleek curves and faint wood scent with curiosity. Relieved, I slowly gripped the chords.
“Here goes.”
I took a short breath, then began plucking in earnest.
Soft arpeggios flowed from my fingertips, filling the quiet forest air. Boksoon, glued to my shoulder like a specimen, fluttered its wings and layered a clear melody atop the guitar.
—Fweee~ Fweeng.
This time, it wasn't just me. Luna and Edelrin's eyes widened in unison—they could hear it too. The spirit's mana resonated with the guitar's vibrations, making the whole forest shimmer faintly.
No one spoke until the final echoes faded into the woods.
“My god...”
Edelrin murmured, dazed. Her eyes held deep emotion, not the earlier playful tears.
“I've never heard anything so... so beautiful in my life. This is really human-made?”
She stared at my guitar in awe. Luna, her usual playfulness laced with genuine curiosity, chimed in.
“Hehe, I've never seen a spirit respond to music so eagerly~? Fascinating!”
The problem? Boksoon, satisfied, clung even tighter, like it was putting down roots. When I tried prying it off, it huffed and hugged my neck.
Okay, but... how do I fix this...?
Then, a flash of inspiration hit. Yesterday, I'd flatly refused Luna's suggestion to take a disciple out of laziness. But now? Different story. Solve the spirit issue, and this elf...
...I can just teach her music!
Edelrin had nowhere to go after leaving her village. Boksoon was music-obsessed. If Edelrin learned and satisfied it, the spirit would return.
And most importantly...
Yeah, kill two birds: solve this and slack off on my work.
That hellish daily plaza gig. If this elf learned my music and subbed for me? Fresh from exile, she'd have time to spare. With the perfect excuse of an “elf disciple,” early retirement beckoned. My lips curled up. Wiping the sly grin, I adopted my kindest face and turned to her.
“Hey, Edelrin. Ever thought about learning music?”
“Me? M-Me?”
“Yeah. If you master it properly, Boksoon might come back. It's hooked on my music now, so you play for it yourself.”
Her ears perked at the temptation. Reuniting with her spirit was irresistible. I drove the nail home.
“But there's a condition. Later, sub for me at a plaza I pick, a few performances. Call it tuition.”
She hesitated, glancing between her plight and Boksoon on my shoulder, then nodded resolutely.
“Deal! For Boksoon, I'll learn anything. Please take me, Master!”
“Master” felt a bit cringy, but whatever. Peaceful lie-ins and rest awaited.
Gazing at the teary elf who'd rolled into my lap like a jackpot, I inwardly cheered.
Finally, an escape from daily performance hell!